Trapped moisture between construction materials in buildings causes a plethora of different damages from mildew/mold development, wood rot, surface staining, loss of insulating capability and freeze expansion damage. Some of these damages occur in the short term, can be noticed and rectified, while others take time to manifest and cannot be rectified, rather require rebuilding.
Air that is trapped in hollow cavities or that has very slow migration, often infiltrates these cavities as warm, moist air. As the temperatures drop and the surrounding materials cool, the dew point of the air decreases and the trapped air deposits its moisture as water (dew) onto these surfaces. This cycle is capable of repeating thus subjecting the materials to constant rewetting. This is ideal for both mold and mildew formation on the surfaces, and this is a common occurrence behind siding and in ceiling and floor joists cavities.
The solution for this problem is to increase the rate at which air can be exchanged in these cavities so as the temperature drops, the warm moist air that was in the cavities is replaced with cooler ambient air that possesses a lower dew point that will not allow the condensation of moisture on the surrounding surfaces. This can be accomplished only where there is a clear pathway for the air to move.
Henceforth, an improved building methodology that allows for sound tight construction yet incorporates air passages for ventilation purposes would fulfill a long felt need in the building construction industry. This new invention utilizes and combines known and new technologies in a unique and novel configuration to overcome the aforementioned problems and accomplish this.